Kenya’s national rugby sevens team, ‘Shujaa,’ battled fiercely against a highly competitive field to finish eighth at the second leg of the HSBC SVNS Championship, held from 29th to 31st May, 2026, at the Estadio José Zorrilla in Valladolid, Spain.
Shujaa’s campaign at Valladolid unfortunately got off to a difficult start. Drawn in a challenging Pool ‘A’ alongside Australia, Great Britain, and South Africa, Kenya entered the tournament seeking revenge against Australia, following their 14-5 defeat in Hong Kong; instead, they suffered another heartbreak, falling 15-10 to the Australians in their opening match on Friday.
Australia struck first in the second minute when Henry Hutchison crossed over for an unconverted try. Kenya responded through the electric Patrick Odongo, whose pace carved open the Australian defense, but Pettersan Amaitsa was unable to add the extras. Just before halftime, Dietrich Roache restored Australia’s advantage with another unconverted try, giving his side a 10-5 lead at the break.
Kenya came out fighting in the second half, and co-captain Samuel Asati ignited celebrations among the travelling supporters in the 11th minute with a brilliant try from a scrum. Denis Abukuse’s missed conversion left the scores level, which would ultimately prove costly.
With neither side able to break the deadlock in regulation time, the contest headed into extra time. Despite fresh legs from both benches, Kenya struggled with discipline as penalties began to pile up. Australia capitalized on the pressure, and in the 16th minute, delivered the decisive blow with a match-winning try that sank Shujaa’s hopes and handed the Kenyans a painful opening defeat in Valladolid.
The Spanish leg was quickly turning into a nightmare for Kenya Shujaa. Determined to erase the painful memories of their heartbreaking quarterfinal defeat to South Africa in Hong Kong, the Kenyans entered the clash hoping for redemption. Instead, they were met by a ruthless Blitzboks side that showcased its class from the opening whistle, condemning Shujaa to a 14-0 defeat.
South Africa stamped their authority on the contest when Shilton van Wyk brilliantly intercepted a pass intended for Denis Abukuse and raced away for the opening try. Tristan Leyds calmly added the conversion to hand the Blitzboks an early 7-0 advantage.
Stung by the setback, Kenya searched desperately for a breakthrough, throwing everything at the South African defense, but time and again they ran into a brick wall.
Despite both teams introducing fresh boots from the bench, the scoreboard remained unchanged for much of the contest as the Blitzboks’ defensive discipline frustrated the East African giants.
The turning point came in the 13th minute when Abukuse was shown a yellow card and sent to the sin bin. South Africa capitalized on their numerical advantage, with Sebastian Jobb powering over for the second try.
Ricardo Duarttee added the extras to stretch the lead to 14-0, effectively putting the contest beyond Kenya’s reach and extending Shujaa’s miserable start to the Valladolid leg.
Facing a must-win clash in Pool ‘A’, Kenya rose to the occasion with a hard-fought 12-7 victory over Great Britain to keep their campaign alive.
Shujaa struck first through Festus Shiasi Safari, who powered over for the opening try. However, Pettersan Amaitsa was unable to add the extras, leaving Kenya with a slender 5-0 advantage. Great Britain responded swiftly, with Charlton Kerr touching down before Roan Frostwick converted to hand the Europeans a 7-5 lead heading into the halftime break.
Kenya emerged from the interval with renewed intensity and quickly reclaimed control. Speedster Patrick Odongo powered over for the decisive try, while David Nyagige’s successful conversion stretched Shujaa’s lead to 12-7.
Great Britain threw everything at the Kenyan defense in the closing stages, but Shujaa’s resilience proved unshakable as they produced a disciplined defensive display to repel wave after wave of attacks.
The final whistle sparked celebrations in the Kenyan Camp as Shujaa secured a hard-fought 12-7 win, keeping their hopes alive with a performance built on determination, composure and defensive grit.
After a strong showcase in the HSBC SVNS Hong Kong leg, Kenya Shujaa finished seventh after overpowering France 21-7 in a commanding playoff victory.
The emphatic win underlined Kenya’s growing authority on the world stage and earned them eight valuable points, placing them seventh in the overall standings behind South Africa, Argentina, Spain, New Zealand, Fiji, and Australia.
Under the guidance of Head Coach Kevin “Bling” Wambua, Shujaa returned home with a clear mission: to raise the bar in the second leg of the series. Determined to bounce back stronger as a core team, the national sevens side intensified preparations with a rigorous 10-day training camp at Kasarani.
Wambua also injected fresh energy into the squad, handing a chance to promising youngster Victor Odhiambo, whom he believed could be the team’s X-factor in Valladolid.
The squad was further boosted by the return of speedster Patrick Odongo and dynamic playmaker Chrissant Ojwang, both of whom missed the Hong Kong leg through injury.
Wambua Shujaa’s Head Coach expressed confidence that the team is going to finish in the top eight. Despite suffering defeats in their opening two pool matches, Kenya 7s did enough to remain in contention, edging their rivals on qualification criteria to secure a place in the knockout rounds.
Their crucial victory over Great Britain proved decisive, earning Shujaa a spot in the Cup quarter-finals as the lowest-seeded qualifier rather than a pool winner.
However, Kenya’s hopes of a deep run in Valladolid came to a crushing halt against a ruthless Australian side in the quarter-finals. Shujaa endured their heaviest defeat of the tournament, falling 21-0 to the Aussies in a one-sided encounter.
Australia stamped their authority on the contest from the outset, running in three converted tries to complete a dominant performance. Maurice Longbottom was the star of the show, crossing the try line twice and adding all three conversions, while Ben Dowling also touched down as Australia showcased their clinical finishing and control.
Unable to break through Australia’s well-organized defense, Kenya was kept scoreless as their impressive fightback from the pool stages ultimately ended at the quarter-final hurdle.
Kenya’s quest for seventh place ended in disappointment as Shujaa fell to France in a rematch of the seventh-place playoff from the Hong Kong Sevens. Determined to avoid a repeat of the mistakes they made in Hong Kong, the French dominated the opening half in a style.
The Europeans went through the Shujaa defense like a ‘hot knife through butter,’ racing to a 14-0 lead through two tries from Enahemo Artaud. Successful conversions by Maxim Granell and Paulin Riva further strengthened France’s advantage.
Shujaa found a lifeline just before the halftime break when John Okoth Okeyo crossed over for an unconverted try, reducing the deficit and keeping Kenya in the contest.
The second half saw Kenya pile on the pressure in search of a comeback, but the French defense stood firm. Despite Shujaa’s relentless efforts, France held on until the final whistle to secure victory and claim seventh place.
The result placed Kenya eighth in the tournament with six points, bringing their overall HSBC SVNS Championship tally to 14 points. Shujaa now trails a group of top-ranked teams that includes Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Fiji, New Zealand, Spain, and France.
On the women’s side, Australia, the United States, and New Zealand emerged as the leading teams in the standings following the Spanish leg of the HSBC SVNS Championship.
All roads lead to Bordeaux, France, from 5th -7th June 2026 as the curtain falls on the HSBC SVNS Championship season. The final stop of the global series promises high-stakes action, with teams battling not only for silverware but also for their future on the world stage.
The tournament will play a decisive role in determining the top eight teams that will secure coveted core team status for the next HSBC SVNS season. Every match will carry significant weight as nations fight to remain among rugby sevens’ elite.
Besides the battle for qualification, Bordeaux will also crown the overall HSBC SVNS champions. Both the men’s and women’s competitions are set for a thrilling finale, with season-long contenders aiming to finish their campaigns on a high and stamp their names into the history books.
With titles, rankings, and core status all on the line, Bordeaux is set to deliver an unforgettable weekend of world-class rugby sevens.
By Victor Ngugi
